


Promises

by babyjared



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean is ten, Fluff, Gen, Nightmares, Not Wincest but if you see it that way: you do you, Sam is Six, Sharing a Bed, Soft fluff that I made sad in the end because I hate myself, Stuttering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 02:52:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13021728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babyjared/pseuds/babyjared
Summary: Sammy has a bad dream and Dean makes a promise





	Promises

Rain pelts against the motel windows and creates a soothing rhythm that lets Dean relax against the stiff pillow. The rate was cheap so Dad got two rooms and it’s the first time Dean’s gotten to sleep in his own bed in almost a year. He’s about to fall asleep when his blanket shifts off his hip and the bed dips beside him. 

Sam’s six now and way too old to be trying to climb in his bed.

“What are you doin’?” Dean mumbles, a frown creasing his forehead.

Sam’s eyes are wide and the look on his face reminds Dean of the time he caught the kid touching Dad’s guns.

“I-” he stutters, something he does when he’s scared he’s about to get in trouble, “I just-can I s-sleep with you?”

He’s already sinking into the mattress and pulling the blankets up to his chin when Dean starts to answer, “Why can’t you sleep in your bed?”

Sam wiggles closer and Dean fights the urge to roll his eyes. He really hates sharing a bed, especially with Sam since the kid sweats in his sleep. He’s about to kick him out and tell him to stop being a baby when lightning flashes and illuminates the room enough for him to see Sam’s tear-streaked face. 

“Sammy? Hey,” he’s more awake now, but he keeps his voice low, “Hey, what’s wrong?”

Sam closes his eyes and shakes his head before turning to try and bury his face in the pillow he must have brought from his bed, “You’re gonna make fun of me.”

Dean sighs and reaches over to push Sam’s hair away from his eyes, “No, I won’t.”

Sam peeks at him with one big hazel eye that Dean can barely make out in the dark. His voice is muffled by the pillow when he says, quietly, “Promise?”

“Yeah, I promise.” 

He doesn’t say anything for a while, and Dean’s starting to wonder if he fell asleep, but Sam reaches up and his hand lands on Dean’s cheek before it moves down to his neck until his fingers find the cord of the amulet he always wears. Sam’s little fingers trace the amulet before he holds it in the palm of his hand, his words come out in a rush as he speaks, “I dreamed me n’ Dad went to get supplies but we walked to the store and when w-we came back, the Impala was gone and when we looked in the room, you left a note t-that said you didn’t want to be in the f-family anymore and you left your necklace and you took all your stuff and-

“Hey, come on,” Dean says, trying to get Sam to take a breath, “Come here.” he sighs and gathers his brother in his arms. Dean’s never really been a hugger, much less a cuddler, but right now, Sam’s shaking and he’s doing that weird gasping for breath thing he does when he’s about to start sobbing and Dean really doesn’t want to deal with that right now. 

Sam’s puffs of breath are hot and wet against Dean’s neck and his hand’s still clutching the amulet, making the angle to hug him all weird, but Sam’s voice is so quiet and serious that Dean forgets all about it. “I thought you left me, De.” Dean swallows and reaches up to hold the back of Sam’s head, “I was so scared.”

“Sammy, I’m right here.” he says. Frowning, because how could Sam ever think he would leave him?

“But you’re gonna get tired of me and Dad and-” Sam whispers, “One day you’re gonna go an-and never come back.” his breath hitches and Dean starts to scratch lightly at Sam’s scalp because he knows it calms him down.

“M’always gonna come back, Sammy.” he whispers, and he feels Sam start to relax and calm down a bit, “I won’t ever leave you, okay?” Never on purpose, he adds to the promise in his head.

Sam sniffles, “Promise?”

He looks down at Sam’s face and tilts his chin up with his finger. Sam’s eyes droop and he looks about as tired as Dean feels, “I promise.” 

Sam stares at him for a few more beats before he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, “Okay.”

Dean smiles a little, “Okay.”

Dean keeps his promise and always comes back.

Twelve years later, when Sam’s acceptance letter from Stanford comes, he wishes he’d made Sam promise too.


End file.
